Bolton Landing, NY

Most people associate Lake George in upstate New York with the honky-tonk T-shirt and fudge shops of Lake George Village. That's unfortunate, because the rest of this 31-mile-long lake has far more of the Adirondack appeal. Waves of rolling summits form a silhouette against the sky that, due to the lake's narrow width, tower over you from both shores.

It's a scenic spot I know well, having sailed these waters since I was a toddler, or so I'm told. Growing up in these sylvan surroundings, I took its beauty for granted; the verdant mountainside that slopes to the lake's edge on either side, the pine-studded islands that provide perfect anchorages for boaters, the narrow width that's easily mistaken for a long rambling river. Years later, I've had the good fortune to visit many of America's most noted lakes, like Tahoe, Powell, and Superior. Given the choice, however, I'll take Lake George on a weekday (on summer weekends, the influx of motorboats and jet skies make the lake seem a lot smaller). The cool waters and green hills serve as solace for my weary urbanized body.

Set on a 70-acre island near the village of Bolton Landing is the Sagamore, the premiere resort on Lake George. In fact, this large wedding cake of a hotel has been the lake's top address for over a century. Dilapidated in the early 80s, when it was commonly referred to as "Sag Some More" the resort was purchased in 1985 by real estate developer Norman Wolgin of Philadelphia and rightfully restored to its Georgian-style grandeur. Perched on a small hill, you walk into the glass-enclosed patio and peer down at one of the most striking sights of the American landscape, inspiring Hudson River School painters to grab their canvases and head north. Georgia O'Keeffe and her camera-toting husband Alfred Stieglitz would soon follow, summering at a home in the southern part of the lake throughout the 1920s.

Steps from the patio lead past the manicured lawn to the Sagamore's shores, offering views of Dome Island, a large round uninhabited forest of firs that looks almost tropical, a place that King Kong would find homey. On the opposite shores of this long rambling lake, never more than three miles wide, is an uninterrupted carpet of trees that soon rise to 2,000-foot mountains. The serenity of the lake stems from a decision by civil engineers not to extend the road more than eight miles on the eastern shores. So when you reach the Sagamore, a little less than halfway up the lake, there are no signs of civilization on the other side.

The Sagamore takes advantage of this beauty strip to offer swimming, boating, kayaking, sailing, parasailing, banana boat rides, fishing, a luxury dinner cruise on their boat, The Morgan, a large indoor pool and fitness center featuring aerobics classes and yoga, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, and summer camps for the kids. Depending on the time of day, there are seven places on property to dine, including the latest, the Pavilion, at water's edge. So, by all means, jump in and have fun!

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